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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22595491">Definition of a Date</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/rinadoll/pseuds/Rina'>Rina (rinadoll)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Frozen (Disney Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Crushes, F/F, Lesbian Elsa (Disney), Moonlit rides, Winter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 14:20:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,238</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22595491</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/rinadoll/pseuds/Rina</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Elsa's got a crush.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Elsa/Honeymaren (Disney)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>108</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Chocolate Box - Round 5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Definition of a Date</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/yuuago/gifts">yuuago</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Where do you and Nokk ride?” </p><p>Honeymaren came up behind the iced horse as Elsa dismounted, causing her to slide her way, ungracefully, down the horse’s broad side and land with a thump. </p><p>“Oh, everywhere,” Elsa said, trying to surreptitiously tug her clothes back in to proper place and hoping her cheeks weren’t red. “He’s been teaching me about the elementals and our powers. We practice together.” She rubbed Nokk’s neck fondly. </p><p>“Can I?” Honeymaren gestured towards Nokk’s head. </p><p>“You can ask him,” Elsa said. </p><p>Nokk eyed Honeymaren archly, but allowed her to pet him when she asked. </p><p>“Do you have a favorite place you go?” Honeymaren asked, stroking his nose.</p><p>“There are so many beautiful places, it’s hard to choose just one,” Elsa said, considering. “But yes, I suppose I do have a favorite.”</p><p>“I’d love to go riding with you two,” Honeymaren said, turning to her. “May I?”</p><p>“Oh, well, yes, of course, if you’d like to,” Elsa said, feeling awkward as she stumbled through her words. She often felt that way around Honeymaren, but thought she was usually better at hiding it. She straightened her back and tried to remember her former queenly manner.</p><p>“Nokk, may we both ride with you?” Honeymaren asked, and Nokk neighed in agreement. </p><p>“Tomorrow evening?” she asked Elsa. “To your favorite place?”</p><p>“Oh! All right, certainly,” Elsa said, nerves dancing in her stomach but back still straight.</p><p>“Then it’s a date,” Honeymaren said with a smile, and left Elsa frozen.</p><p>A date? A date date, or tomorrow was the set date on which they would ride? She wanted to send Gale with a note to ask Anna, or even Olaf--now that he was devouring romance novels, he was all about the romantic advice--but felt silly. Was the answer obvious? Would other people not have to wonder and worry about it? Her years of isolation followed by years of talking with foreign leaders had not prepared her for this.</p><p>She said goodnight  to Nokk and headed for her home in the forest, on the outskirts of the Northuldra settlement. She distractedly waved to her friends on her way, unable to stop ruminating over Honeymaren. </p><p>If she was honest, she knew what she wanted it to be--a date date. She hadn’t stopped thinking about Honeymaren since the autumn. But it felt far too presumptuous to want that. Honeymaren was friendly and kind to everyone, and was well loved by the Northuldra as well as the Arendellian people she had met. But when she smiled at Elsa, Elsa felt both happy and terrified in equal measure, and like Honeymaren was the only person around. </p><p>But she’d never gotten that feeling back from Honeymaren. So tomorrow was most likely the date on which they’d set to ride. And that was fine. She was going to enjoy spending time with Honeymaren, no matter what. And at Honeymaren’s request! She climbed into bed with a smile on her face.</p><p>Elsa woke up with a dusting of magical snow falling on her. It happened every now and again, but didn’t dampen her spirits as she cheerfully went through her morning work and into the afternoon. </p><p>But then the nerves started to grow and take over. She kept reminding herself that it was two friends spending time together, having fun like they had all winter, but it only slightly worked. Things were getting quick frosted around her at an increasing rate and she sequestured herself in her home to avoid looks and questions.</p><p>She tried to distract herself by creating new things for her home, and a few outfits for the evening. Using her powers relaxed her a little, enough to get through the remaining hours.</p><p>She heard Honeymaren and Ryder return with the reindeer herd and swallowed. It was almost time. </p><p>Elsa carried her lantern to the river where she and Nokk connected, the flame glowing in the blue twilight. Honemaren was waiting for her, with a wide and welcoming smile. </p><p>“Let’s ride,” she said excitedly, clapping her hands in glee.</p><p>Elsa laughed as she welcomed Nokk and gave him the light layer of permafrost that let them roam away from the water. “It's not that different from riding any other animal,” she pointed out, and Nokk nickered. “Except that it’s Nokk himself, of course,” she said, petting his flank. </p><p>“Of course,” Honeymaren said, stroking his nose before mounting him. “Oh, Elsa. This is nothing like riding any other creature.” She squeezed her legs gingerly, feeling his shape under her. “I know I see him all the time, but I am actually sitting on something that is translucent and made of water and ice. And he’s so comfortable.” She stroked his mane. “This is amazing.” </p><p>“He is pretty wonderful,” Elsa said. Honeymaren offered her a hand up, and she took a deep breath before accepting and mounting behind her. The two fit together perfectly. Elsa barely had time to recognize that before Honeymaren settled back, resting against Elsa, and Nokk took off.</p><p>Honemaren held on tight, letting out a whoop of joy. Snow was lightly falling, sparkling in the fires and light of the Northuldra settlement, but they were quickly past and into the forest past Elsa’s home. Nokk raced them around the snow heavy trees, creating his own path through.</p><p>Elsa’s nerves were sparking everywhere she and Honeymaren touched, but Honeymaren was obliviously enjoying the ride. She swallowed hard and tried to keep her breathing even.</p><p>Finally Nokk rode out of the forest and slowed down near a large boulder. </p><p>“Are we here?” Honeymaren asked. </p><p>“Yes,” Elsa said. Honeymaren slid down, and she felt almost bereft at the loss of contact. Honeymaren held her arm up but Elsa slid down herself, brushing her dress off. Queenly manner, queenly manner.</p><p>“So what makes this your favorite place to visit?” Honeymaren asked, looking around. </p><p>“Follow me,” Elsa said. She made her way to the boulder and began climbing. “Do you need a hand?”</p><p>“I’ve got it,” Honeymaren said, nimbly scaling the rock behind her. The women made it to the top and gazed out. “It’s Arendelle,” she said, looking over the brightly lit kingdom. </p><p>“And now look over the forest,” Elsa said, pointing the way. Smoke from the Northuldra curled in the air, and notes from a song from around the fire could just barely be heard. “I can visit both of my homes here.”</p><p>“You know that you don’t need to visit from a distance, don’t you?” Honeymaren asked. </p><p>Elsa tilted her head, confused. She’d just been to Arendelle for game night the past week. “I know.”</p><p>“I heard today that you frosted some books and spent the afternoon by yourself,” Honeymaren said. “You don’t have to hide your magic here. Even when it goes awry.”</p><p>Elsa blushed. She’d known people would talk about it. “I know. That wasn’t the only reason I went home.” </p><p>Honeymaren squeezed her hand, and Elsa blushed harder. “All right. But keep it in mind.” </p><p>Elsa nodded, and Honeymaren smiled. “So. As much as I enjoy the snow, I’m getting damp and there’s no place to sit. Can you help?”</p><p>“Of course,” Elsa said, raising her arms. She relaxed as her magic flowed through her and she built a clear bubble with a snowflake base, sheltering them inside the reverse of a snowglobe. </p><p>“Much better,” Honeymaren said, touching the icy globe.</p><p>“Chairs or a blanket?” Elsa asked, whipping some snowflakes around.</p><p>“Blanket and pillows,” Honeymaren said, and the snow coalesced into a blue and white blanket that floated to the ground, with plump and squashy snowflake pillows following. She let herself fall on them, laughing.</p><p>Elsa followed, arranging herself more sedately. “And some snacks,” Elsa said, brownies and her favorite Pepperkaker cookies appearing on a silver platter with one final wave. She breathed deeply, enjoying the scent of chocolate. She always felt so entirely whole and herself after using her powers, and she felt light after the stress of the afternoon.</p><p>“Beautiful,” Honeymaren said, taking a cookie and biting in to it. </p><p>“And delicious,” they said at the same moment. </p><p>Elsa made a face at herself. What an odd thing for her to say. She hadn’t tried the Pepperkaker yet, but she felt as if she and Honeymaren had said this before. Even the globe and blankets suddenly felt familiar.</p><p>“What’s that face for?” Honeymaren asked.</p><p>“Just some deja vu,” Elsa said, picking up a cookie. ”I must have had a dream about desserts.”</p><p>Honeymaren took a brownie and ate it in small bites. Elsa was briefly distracted by the chocolate on her lips. “Can I confess something?”</p><p>“Of course,” Elsa said, her cookie briefly icing in her hand. </p><p>Honemaren reached into her bag and presented her with a bouquet of winter heather. Elsa accepted it, and the deja vu feeling crawled even more intently. </p><p>“A few days ago, I stopped by to see if you wanted to come visit the new reindeer with me and Ryder. You didn’t answer the door, so I looked in the window, and you were napping.”</p><p>“All right,” Elsa said slowly, a little warmed by the idea Honeymaren had looked for her.</p><p>“But I saw your dream in the snow over your head, and it was us, here. I gave you flowers on this blanket and we smiled at each other. Then I realized I was invading your privacy and I left,” Honeymaren said, biting her lip. “I am very sorry.”</p><p>“You saw my dream?” Elsa repeated blankly. Then that dream came to her in a rush. She remembered the kiss after the flowers, and blushed hotly. She covered her cheeks with her hands and closed her eyes, the flowers falling into her lap. She remembered waking up right after that, with snow falling on her face. Remnants of her dream. That Honeymaren had seen. Oh, no.</p><p>“Please don’t panic,” Honeymaren said quickly. “Please don’t. I was the one who looked in when I shouldn’t have. But Elsa, I was happy to see it. I had hoped you felt the same, and so I asked to go riding with you to see if it would come true.” </p><p>She leaned forward and touched Elsa’s knee lightly. “I want it to come true, if you do.”</p><p>Elsa kept her hands over her face, trying to breathe and sort through her feelings. Embarrassment. Shame. Honeymaren did think of this as a date date, and Elsa couldn’t bear to look at her. More shame. </p><p>“I’m sorry, I know I should have told you yesterday when I asked you here,” Honeymaren said. “But I like you, Elsa. You don’t have to tell me anything tonight. We can pretend this conversation never happened and just have fun spending time together. Or we can go back home! We can talk later or never, it’s fine. And now I’m going to give you some privacy.” </p><p>Honeymaren crossed to the other side of their bubble, facing out towards Arendelle. The distance let Elsa’s breathing slowly start to even out and the static clear from her mind. Honeymaren liked her, even after Elsa’s poor reaction. She did consider this a date. She was giving Elsa space to figure out her thoughts.</p><p>Elsa inhaled and let the warm scent of the heather wash over her as she ran her fingers over the flowers thoughtfully. She hadn’t yet seen these bloom; the weather had just begun to turn towards spring, and these bloomed just at that cusp. Honeymaren must have hunted for them.</p><p>She knew what she wanted to do, if she was brave enough. She could hear Anna and Olaf in her head, cheering her on. </p><p>She pulled a stem of heather from her bouquet and whipped up a slender ribbon of snowflakes that tied in a neat bow around it. The magic settled her once again and she crossed over to Honeymaren. “This is for you,” she said, smiling a little shyly.</p><p>Honeymaren turned and took it, beaming. “Thank you.” She tucked it into her braid.</p><p>“I like you, too,” Elsa said. “I have for months.” Honeymaren lit up. “And I’d like to kiss you,” Elsa continued. “May I?”</p><p>“Absolutely,” Honeymaren said, her smile growing impossibly wider.</p><p>Elsa took her hand and leaned in, gently pressing her lips to Honeymaren’s. She pulled back, and Honeymaren stepped in closer and kissed her again, longer and deeper. </p><p>Elsa felt fireworks, everywhere--in her stomach, in her hand clasped with Honeymaren’s, behind her eyes.</p><p>It wasn’t until Honeymaren gasped that Elsa opened her eyes and realized it wasn’t fireworks behind her eyes as much as Northern Lights in the sky above.</p><p>“I’ve never seen anything like that before,” Honeymaren said, in awe. “It’s beautiful.” </p><p>“It is,” Elsa agreed, and so was their effect on Honeymaren’s shining face.</p><p>They sat back on the blanket, and Elsa arranged the pillows so they could lie back and take in the sky. It took some awkward half moves and apologies to arrange themselves, but Elsa ended up resting her head on Honeymaren’s shoulder, their hands clasped together. </p><p>“So, what are your thoughts about family game nights?”  Elsa asked, grateful to not have to make eye contact.</p><p>Honeymaren’s laugh rumbled under Elsa’s cheek. “Generally, painful. Specifically, I think I’d love to try it with the royal family of Arendelle.”</p><p>“Next Friday,” Elsa said. “It’s a date.” She squeezed Honeymaren’s hand and relaxed as the lights danced for them and their happiness.</p>
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